Two-speed gear for motor-cycles.



F. S. ELLETT. TWO-SPEED GEAR FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1914. 1,149,901. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETS--SHEET I.

F. S. ELLETT.

Two-SPEED GER' FOR MoToR CYCLES.

APPLICATON FILED 1AN.2 19H.

1,149,901 Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FREDERICK s. ELLnT-T, OFYELMVRA, NEW YORK;

TWO-SPEED GEAR FOR MGTOR-CYCLES.

LiL/$9,991,

T uit whom, it may] concern.'

Be it known thatl, Fimorinrcn S. ELLETT,

a citizen ofthe TJni'ted States, and resident Vof Elmira, county of Chemungj State of New York, have invented certain new andk useful Improvements. in Two-Speed Gear for 'Motor-Cycles, ofwhich the followingis af specification.

rlhis invention relates to change-speed mechanism and more particularly to a twospeed gear formotorcycles and other .motor vehicles.

The principal object ofv my invention is` to provide a simple compact device which will lit the greatest number ofmachines now on the market and require the least possible expense in tting the same thereto.

Another object is to provide a gear in which by a simple operation the gear may be changed from neutral; or idle position to high speed or low speed.

Another object isfto provide a device in which there are no working or movingjoints at the outer peripheryof the device so that the oil or grease will not readily work out'- wardly as is the casein a great many of the devices now on the market.

The above and other objects and thenovel features' of theinvention will be apparent from the following description,v taken' in connection with the'drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinalcross-sectional view of the device assembledfon the frame of a motorcycle. Fig2 is a Side elevation of the device,A parts being broken away to disclose features on `the interior. V

Referring` to the drawin`g designates an axle or shaft which is stationary and supported atits .oppositeI ends in the frame 11, the rear fork of themotorcycl'eframe for instance, only one end of the' shaft being shownin the illust1i' ation.`

A washer 12 'and a lock nuti 13V havingv threaded engagement with the outer thread-- ed end of the shaft clamp against/the frame on onge sideI to preventqthe inward move! ment of the shaftl f 0n opposite sides of its center, the shaft 10 is threaded as at ljtto engage the threads on the interior of the cone 15, and the lock nut 1G secures the Alatter in place.

A loch washer 17 placed between the lock nut 1Gv andcone 15 also serves to prevent the displacement ofthe cone.

tpwill be understood that` there are two Specification of Letters Patent.

restent-ea Aug. 1o,y niais.v

Application fledlanura'ry 2, 1914. Serial No. 810,024.

cones 15 in symmetrical positions on the shaft 10 which support a hub 18 at its ends.4 The series of balls 19 in the raceway 2011 of the hub serve to provide an antifriction bearing between the cones 15V and. hub 18, and support the latter. p Y

The shaft 10 has an elongated cross-slot 20 which is disposed between the threaded portion 14 and where the shaft `passes through the frame member 11. The crossslot 2O extends diametrically across the shaft 10 and a central longitudinal slot 21 in the shaft extends from the outer end of the shaft 10 and opens into the crossfslot 20.

A sliding gear supporting member 22 is carried by the shaft 10r in juxtaposition to the slot 20 and has a beveled outer part 23. The supporting member 22 is keyed. to the shaft 10 by means of a cross-pin 24 which extends through the slotv 20 and beyond the same, the ends thereof fitting in notches 25 on diametrically opposite sides of the supporting member 22.

A long pin 2G extends through the slot 21 and at its innerV end engages the crosspin 24iso that when it is voperated it will. shift the slidinggear carrying,member.221 to the right in Fig. 1 of the drawing, The outerk end' ofy the pin'2G is engaged by the arm 27 of a double-arm lever pivotedat 2 8 on the bracket 29,` carried by the outer end I offtheshaft 10, and having' threaded enfY gagement therewith, The lother ar1n30ofthe double-arm lever pivotedV atm28 has a piston rod 31 connected thereto, which works in a cylinder 32 carried by theioperatingrod 33,k which latter is mountedin and secured to one head ofthecylinder 32. i Between the ber 22 and the cone 15` torreceive theends of a spiral spring` 39 which tenids to forceA the member 22 along the shaft to the left'. in Fig. 1, when rthe operating arm .27 isk pushed to the right,y and allows the pin 26-` to move longitudinally in the slot21.

The supportingmemben22 hasna reduced portion 40, theend .of which extends intok CID an annular recess el in the opposing Yface ot the cone 15. The reduced portion 1 -lli. also threaded for a portion of its length to receive an interiorly threaded cone which is locked in place by a washer i3 and nut il# The cone l2 and theconical surface together form a raceway for the yseries of balls e5, which lit in a concave raceway 116 o n the inner side of a sliding gear a7. ln this arrangement the gear 47 rotates independently of the-supporting member `A t is locked to the latter so that they will move together along the shaft in either direction.

The outer laterall face or the sliding gear has a series of clutch teeth ii8 adapted tor meshwith the clutch teeth 4) on the inner lateral face of the clutch lever or anchor 50. The sliding gear will be clutched by the lever 50 when the spring 8f) shifts the supporting member 22and the gear i7 carried thereby to the eXtreme position at the lett. The operating arm 27 is swung to the lett so as to permit the pin 26 to move outwardly until its inner end is Hush with the inner end of a sleeve 51, thelatter pivotally supporting the clutch lever 50 on the shaft 10.

An annular member 52, L-shaped in cross-section, is clampedr by the threaded locking `ring 53 against a shoulder 54e near the end of the hub 18, and is fast on the said hub so aste rotate therewith. rlhe member 52 is provided with teeth 55 on its periphery. An annular member 56 provided with teeth 57 on its interior 'face is inter-locked with the outer end of the member' 52. Together the members 52 and 56 ormagear on` the end of the hub which has interior and exterior teeth. When the operating arm 27 is shifted to the right in Fig. 1, so as to move the supporting member 22 and sliding gear 47 to the right, the teeth 58 of the sliding gear will mesh with the interior teeth 57 gear and the hub will be driven directly trom vthe driving sprocket hereinafter de-.

scribed.

It will be noticed that when the gear is in the direct or high speed driving position that the end of the'gear supporting member 22 abuts against the end face of the stationary cone l5. The object of this arrange` mentis to relieve the gear carrying balls 45 of thrusts. ,l Y

An inclosing casing is provided for the gearing which comprises the casing proper having the sidewall 59 and the peripheral wall 60 cast in one piece and the cover or opposite side wall 6l.

An annular plate 62 lhaving a series of sprocketteeth 63 at its outer edge and lugs 64: at its inner edge to secure the same to the casing wall 59 tits in a groove 65 at the outer edge of the casing. The teeth 63 are adapt-ed to engage a sprocket chain driven by the engine 0r other suitable means and constitutes the driving member of the mechv anism. The cover 61 is clamped to the casn ing bymeans of a series of four bolts 66,

vby means of the nuts 67 which are locked in recesses in the cover 61 and wall 59 respectively. Y

A sleeve 68 surrunds each bolt 66 and is separated therefrom by means of theball bearings 69. The sleeve 68 has a series of gear teeth 70 on its exterior surface which gear teeth are always in meshwith the gear teeth 55 on the hub gear. n

A large gear 71 surrounds and is keyed to the sleeve 68 so that it will rotate with the smaller gear integral with the sleeve.

rlllhe gear 71 has teeth 72 which are always in mesh with the teeth 58 of the sliding gear 17. v

The tour pairs of idler gears supported on the ball bearings serve to support and act as bearings for the case itself, running jointsk at 73 and 74; constituting the connection between the casing andthe hub and sliding gear respectively.

The operation or" the gear will be apparent from the foregoing description.

F ig. 'l shows the gear in neutral or idle position. In order to throw the gear into high or direct drive, the operating arm 27 is moved to the right which movement is transmitted through the pins 26 and 24A to the supporting member` 22 and sliding gear AI7 causingthe teeth 58 on the latter to move over into engagement with the interior` teeth 57 on the hub, thus transmitting the direct drive from the sprocket teeth 63 to the hub 18. 1n order to throw the gear into low speed, the operating rod is pushed in a backward direction or toward the laxle which allows the coiled spring 39 to thrust `the gear carrying member 22 to the left causing the teeth 48 of the gear t7 to eni gage the teeth L9 of the clutch arm 50. By

holding the sliding gear stationary, the low gear is thrown into action and the drive is con'imunicated from the sprocket teeth 63 to the hub 18 through the teeth 70 on the` small idler gears which mesh with thc teeth 55 of the hub gear. y

lt will thus be seen that when the sliding gear is at the eXtreme right, the sprocket wheel will drive the hub' directly. lVhen the sliding gear is at the extreme lett and locked against rotation by the clutch lever 50, the reducing gear having the teeth 70 will be interposed and the sprocket wheel will drive the hub at a slower speed through the exterior teeth on the hub gear. When the sliding gear is in intermediate position as shown in F ig. 1, there will be no transmission from the sprocket Wheel to the hub. y

The device illustrated on account of its compactn'ess and simplicity, is particularly adaptedfor useon motorcyclesand is designed to fit most machines now on the market. 7 Itis also arra-ngedso that the Working ormoving joints are closet@y the axis to ykeep the' lubrication from Working out of the gear casing any point in the pe? riphery as is commonin many devices now on the market.

Thilo I have shown a particular embodiment'of my invention, I do not Wish to be limited. to the @rar/b wat member and meshing with the loose andother row ofteeth onthe hub.

'6.` The combination of a driving member, afdriven member, a plurality Vof pairsof gears rotatable bodily with Vsaid driving member, means having inner `and outer y gear` Ytoothedsurfaces carried by said driven mem-v ber, one of each of said pairs of' gears meshmg With the outer toothed surface carried bythe driven member, and .an axially mov'- ,"f'"

able device for coupling the other of eachof a w'jaf'qLVn ML il fofA terior teeth, a driving member, a gear casing to which the driving member is Secured, pairs of gears mounted in the gear casing and rotatable With said driving member, one of each of said pairs of gears meshing VWith the exterior teeth on -said annuiar member, and means for coupling the other of each of said pairs of gears to the interior teeth of the annularl member, comprising a sliding gear having clutch teeth, a clutch leverhaving teeth interlocking With the clutch teeth ofthe sliding gear, means for lsupporting the sliding gear, said supporting means having slots to receive the ends of the cross-pin whereby the` supporting means is keyed to the shaft, a spring tending to shift the supporting means andsliding gear in one direction to move the latter out of mesh With the teeth on the annular member, and the clutch teeth thereof into mesh With the teeth on the clutch lever, and an operating lever for moving the pin in the longitudinal slot to hold the sliding gear in neutral position or shifting the same into mesh With the annular member on the hub.

l0.` The combination of a non-rotatable shaft, a hub rotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with teeth, a driving member, a loose gear carried bythe shaft and adapted i non-rotatable shaft, a hub Lhaving teeth thereon, means for rotatably supporting said hub comprising. a conel fast on said shaft, a driving member, a loose gear, supporting means therefor movable longitudinally of the shaft and Vadapted to abut against one nation With a non-rotatable shaft, of a drivc ing member and a driven member mounted thereon, said members having gear teeth thereon, means for gearing said driving member to said driven member comprising gear teeth mounted on the driving member and, meshing with gear teeth carried bythe driven member, a gear meshing with certain of the gear teeth on the driving member and slidable along said shaft, said slidable gear and driven member being capable of clutching the slidable gear to the ydriven member when said gear is moved axially in one direction, means whereby saidfslidable gear may be held against turning,'and means for operating said yslidable gear. 'e

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two Witnesses.-

' FREDERICK SQELLETT.

l/Vitnesses:

kA. C. Rien, D. H. CANFIELD. 4

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,vby addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington,D.C." 

